<#>

Understanding Collective Bargaining Agreements

2VA/AFGE Master Agreement Training: Understanding Collective Bargaining Agreements

Agenda

• Objectives

• Pre‐training Activity Questions

• Understanding Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA)

• Management and Union Rights and Obligations

• Questions

• What’s Next

3VA/AFGE Master Agreement Training: Understanding Collective Bargaining Agreements

Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to: 

– Explain significant aspects of the CBA

– Describe how a CBA works

– Explain Management and Union roles and responsibilities under the Federal Service Labor Management Relations Statute

– Demonstrate an understanding of how the CBA is enforced and interpreted

4VA/AFGE Master Agreement Training: Understanding Collective Bargaining Agreements

What is a Collective Bargaining Agreement?

• A collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is a contract reached as a result of negotiations between representatives of a union and the employer.

• For this CBA, it was the intention of the negotiating parties to meet the interests of both sides.

5VA/AFGE Master Agreement Training: Understanding Collective Bargaining Agreements

What Does a CBA Do?

• Institutes contractual rights only enforceable through grievance‐arbitration

• Establishes working conditions for employees covered by the agreement

• Creates a process for resolving workplace disputes through grievance and arbitration

• Sets forth both procedural and substantive rights of Union and Management

6VA/AFGE Master Agreement Training: Understanding Collective Bargaining Agreements

What Does the Contract Mean?

• Look to the ordinary meaning of the words.

• Contract interpretation is affected by the history of the negotiations.

• Practice, custom and usage under contract can help to interpret the meaning of agreement.

7VA/AFGE Master Agreement Training: Understanding Collective Bargaining Agreements

“Covered By” Doctrine

• When the changes in working conditions are to be made both Union and Management should look first to whether the collective bargaining agreement covers the issue. If it does, the contract must be followed and changes to the contract may not be bargained.

8VA/AFGE Master Agreement Training: Understanding Collective Bargaining Agreements

CBA as theCommon Framework

• Both parties have  vested interests, rights and responsibilities under a CBA.

• In the end though, the CBA is designed to be the common framework within which both parties can be successful.

9VA/AFGE Master Agreement Training: Understanding Collective Bargaining Agreements

Management Rights and Responsibilities

• Rights and responsibilities of Supervisors and Managers under the CBA:

– Comply with provisions of agreement

– Understand what the agreement means

– Enforce provisions of the contract

10VA/AFGE Master Agreement Training: Understanding Collective Bargaining Agreements

Union Rights and Responsibilities

• Rights and responsibilities of the Union under the CBA:

– Speak for and bargain on behalf of the employees it represents

– Act for and negotiate agreements covering all employees in the bargaining unit

11VA/AFGE Master Agreement Training: Understanding Collective Bargaining Agreements

Questions

12VA/AFGE Master Agreement Training: Understanding Collective Bargaining Agreements

What’s Next?

Introduction to the 2011 VA/AFGE Master Agreement